IJC Coming to Niagara to Hear Your Concerns on Great Lakes Issues

International Joint Commission Seeks Public Feedback on Canadian, US Governments’ Actions to Achieve Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Objectives

A News Release from the Canada/U.S. International Joint Commission, the binational watchdog agency on our shaired boundary waters

Posted September 13^th, 2022 on Niagara At Large

Today (this September 13^th, 2022), the International Joint Commission (IJC) launches its efforts to gather public feedback on the Canadian and United States governments’ latest actions to protect, restore and enhance Great Lakes water quality.

The IJC is collecting public input through virtual and in-person engagement activities, an online survey and written submissions until December 23, 2022.

As part of its responsibilities to assess the governments’ progress toward fulfilling the objectives of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, the IJC considers public input on the Canadian and US governments’ 2022 Progress Report of the Parties (PROP).

Virtual and In-Person Engagement Activities

The IJC is gathering comments at in-person events and virtually through an online survey, written submissions and a webinar series.

Toxic algae making a deadly comeback in Lake Erie. Untreated runoff of contamination from farmlands and urban areas are major sources

The IJC will facilitate two in-person sessions during the Canadian and US governments’ 2022 Great Lakes Public Forum in Niagara Falls, Ontario, from September 27 to 29, 2022. Registration is free and open to the public. In conjunction with the forum, the IJC is also hosting a free, hybrid (in-person and virtual) public meeting the evening of September 28, 2022, at the Niagara Falls Convention Centre in Niagara Falls, Ontario. 

The IJC will also host workshops at conferences including the Great Lakes Coastal Symposium and the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society Great Lakes Regional Conference. 

In the fall, the IJC will host virtual opportunities to provide feedback with a series of webinars, one for each of the five Great Lakes, a virtual business roundtable in conjunction with the binational Council for the Great Lakes Region and virtual meetings organized in conjunction with the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Cities Initiative and other Great Lakes organizations.

Quick Facts

In addition to in-person and virtual engagement activities, the public can share comments until December 23, 2022, with the IJC through an online survey and written submissions. All engagement activities are listed and updated at: ijc.org/en/2022-Great-Lakes-Progress-Input

To monitor the Canadian and US governments’ progress fulfilling the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement objectives, the IJC prepares a Triennial Assessment of Progress (TAP) report, documenting the progress of government programs and activities and providing recommendations to governments.

An essential part of the IJC’s assessment responsibilities is gathering and summarizing public input on the governments’ PROP report.

The PROP describes government-led activities based on the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement’s 10 annexes, highlighting key achievements and identifying new science and action priorities for governments to complete over the next three years.

Associated Links

Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement: IJC Seeks Public Input on the Canadian and US Governments’ 2022 Progress Report of the Parties

Canadian and US governments’ 2022 Progress Report of the Parties

Canadian and US governments’ 2022 Great Lakes Public Forum

The IJC was established by the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 to help the governments of Canada and the United States prevent and resolve disputes over the use of the waters they share. By evaluating efforts to restore the Great Lakes ecosystem, engaging the public on their perspectives of Great Lakes health and completing its own research on issues facing the lakes, the IJC assesses the effectiveness of government programs to meet the agreement’s goals and objectives.